BOTANICON SINICUM. 71 
works of the Chinese philosophers, Geographical works, Descrip- 
tions of the Chinese provinces, departments, ete. The time of 
these publications is never given, nor are the quotations arranged 
chronologically. 
2. 46 ¥E Tsi tsao. Fine composition, elegant writing. Under 
this head, which comprises the greater part of the extracts given, 
we meet with quotations from a great number of poetical com- 
positions. The matter is arranged in chronological order, and the 
dynasties during which the quoted authors wrote are always 
indicated. For the headings of the numerous subdivisions under 
which the quotations appear see Mr. Wylie’s Notes on Chinese 
Literature, p. 188—192, where the various forms of Chinese 
poetry are detailed. 
3. Hil $% Pie lu.* This comprises principally quotations from 
authors on agriculture and on the economic use of plants. 
The characters Jf and $9, likewise printed white on black 
ground, indicate, the first the original matter of the K ‘iin fang pu, 
the second the additional information given in the Kuang K‘in 
fang pu. 
THE BOTANICAL SECTION OF THE fe] & 4 yX TU SHU 
“ TSI CH‘ENG. 
Eighteen years after the publication of the Kuang Kin fang 
pu, in 1726, the vast Compendium of Chinese Literature known 
under the above name,™ was drawn up under Imperial authority. 
The Botanical Section of this gigantic compilation, Fi 7k Ht 
Ts‘ao mu tien, comprises 320 books, As it exists in the library 
of the Russian Legation at Peking, I have had ample opportunity 
23 This term is not to be confounded with the Pie lu frequently quoted in the Pen : 
ts'ao. As we have seen above (No. 7) this is the abbreviated title of an ancient — 
Materia medica, \ 
24 Readers who are desirous of further information about this magnificent work 
may find it in W. F. Mayers’ paper: Bibliography of the Chinese Imperial Collections 
of Literature, the last publication from the able pen of this distinguished and lamented 
scholar. It appeared in Vol. VI of the China Review, 1878. On p. 218 the author 
gives a review of the T’u shu tsi ch eng, or as its full title reads ray & fel a Se Jk 
Ku kin Tu shu tsi ch'eng, i. e, Compendium of Literature and Hlustrations, Ancient 
and Modern, A complete copy of the work was acquired in 1878 by the British - 
Museum. ‘The Great Library at Paris is said to possess some portions of it, eee 
* 
